Electrically-operated railway-car door



T. ELLIOTT ELECTRICALLY OPERATED RAILWAY CAR DOOR 4 Sheets-Shed 1 Filed Dec,

@wir 8. 8 n w x wirf# .M L .I l. l Eil n vm @gwn sv.

y v INII/jE'NTOR.

EE gy. a -v ATTORNEYS.

sept; 2o,1927. 1,643,064

T. ELLIOTT y ELEGTRIGALLY PERATED RAILWAY CAR Doon '-Filed Dec. 1, 1924 4 sheets-sheet 2.

25 63 62 56 6a se ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 20,1927.

UNITED y gSTATES THOMAS ELLIOTT, or CINCINNATI, oIrIo,'AssIeNon TO THE CINCINNATI CAR Conf PANY, or wINToN PLACE, OHIO, .A v,CORTORATION or OHIO.

ELECTBICALLY-OPEEATED RAILWAY-CAR 1230012'.

Application filed December 1, 1924.7 SeralfNo. 753,405.

This invention relatesto improvements in electrically operated railway carV doors for use oncity and interurban railway cars in particular. v Y

The invention comprises, essentially, a door and a` lever connected thereto 'and adapted by a swinging vmovement through' substantially the arc of halt a circleto open and close the door, and ot ank electric motor and lever-actuating mechanism adapted to be given a rotary-reciprocating movement by the motor and to thereby actuate thelever in the arc of its movement, in'firstone direction' and then the other. y Y

A My invention ,further consists in the arrangement and organization of this lever ace Vtuator, which is made up of twoessential features, one a rotatable clutch `member and the other an oscillatable head adapted to be actuatedl through ja' clutch Yconnection bef tween it ,and the clutch member, combined with stops which act tof'limit the movements of the oscillatable headl so that each time the head oscillatesv far enough to swing the door operating lever .from one position Ato the other, the head willcoine to rest andremain in that position until the electric motor is kthrough one side wall and inner wall of they reversed, by any suitable switch, andthe clutch member made toy reverse its direction ot rotary'travel andto carryA the. oscillatable head back to the other extreme of its movement; so that'the door actuating lever will be swung by the oscillatable head from one extreme of its movement to the other, wherey bythe door yis alternately Vopenedand closed.v e c My invention further consists in numerous features in the nature of snbcombinatlons and of detail. Y Y Y In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which like reference characters indicate corresponding parts: ,Figure 1 is an elevationofa portion of a car body showing my improved door operating mechanism located therein. V t

Y Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view car body showing my mechanism in an elevation, such view being on the line 2 2 kof Figure l, looking in the direction of the ar-v row.

Figure 2":l is a detail view showing in vertical section the lower part of the dash pot and illustrating the air inlet and outlet ports and adjunct devices.r

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional' structure.

view of the leveractuator taken onthe line 3 3 of Figure 4, looking in the direction of the arrow. j Figure 4 is a partial elevation anc' sectional view taken on the line 4 4 o'I' Figure 3, looking in thedirection of the arrow; in which view the oscillatable headis shown in the position of one limit of its movement, that which it occupies when the 4 door is closed, and the door lever is inthe position shown in dotted lines in Figure 1.

Figure 5 isa like viewto that shown in Figure 4 except that the oscillatable head is shown in the other position ofits extreme movement, inwhichfcase the door lever will Vbe inthe position shown in full lines in Figure 1. Y

i partial 1,643,064` ,'APAIENTOFFICE.

, Figure 6 is adetailverticalsectional view c A a carrot any approved type having suitable window sash indicated at 2 and forming an outer closure for a door vpocket or space 3.

The inner closure forjthis space is composed of the lining of the side ofthe car consisting of a plate 4 and a sash 5 which latter is opposite the sash'2 so as to afford a view from Vthe interior of the Vcar tothe outside. fThis pocket at one' endopens into the doorway or space indicated at 3 in Figure l. VIn the upper part of the doorway andpextended on into the door pocket is a door track 6 se-` cured'` to a wooden llerZ, itselt fastened to one vof the upper side beams 8 of the car On thistrack are mounted door wheels 9 whose spindles '10 pass through or are otherwise connected with the door indicated at 1l and made, preferably of two or more seetionsfhinged or articulatedtogether y as indicated at 12, so that in cases where the sides of the car'converge or are curved, and the door track is likewise positioned, the

Y'ses door will the more readily conform itselfto such contour jand be the more easily opened and Closed.Y

Secured to one; edge-ofthe door, that I which faces thedoorway 3, is 'a dash-pot CII Composed ot a pieton i3 mounted on n rod 13 connected to the door by a hraelet ll: through bolts l5, and ot a eylinder '1G also seein-ed to the door by means oi a flange 17 and seren's or other fastening` devices 18 extended through the flange and embedded in the material ot' the door. This dash-potlias an inlet port` as seen in Figure 2, and as indicated at 19, with a ball valve Q0 adapted to close the inlet when the piston descends and to open the inlet and recede against a stop pin @Il when the piston is eleifatefcl1 so that air may be drawn into the dash-pot on the lip-stroke ot the piston. den exhaust port o'l` small dimension and ree'n ulated by screw permiteI the escape ol the air :trom the daelrpot eylinder when the piston descends so as to check the piston as it nears the lii'nit oi its inovenieln-` Where-- bythe momentum oli the door. which is made to slide across the doorway` is cheeked to prevent the door 'trom :slammingl hard a `minst .its jamb. A

To the piston 18 is secured an arm Ql to which is attached the operating lever This lever is to be itsell actuated through the are of halt a circle 'from the position shown in 'tfnll lines in Figure l to that shown in dotted linesj so as to draw the door across the doorway, and back again to open the doorway and run the door into its pocket in the side Wall oit the car. i

I Will now roter to the electrically operatedmeans which l employ t'or this purpose. On a base composed ot blocks SEG stationed on the ear floor 27, I place and secure a bracket 2S as by means oi pins or bolts 29. To this bracket I seeure as by means oit mits and holts 30, a housing or easing desienated generally 3 and comprised oit a shell 32 and a eoyer 33 which are secured together by nuts and bolts Sit as seen in Figure 3.

`On the hraelet QS I also mennt a standard 355 snitably secured thereto and adapted iter connection with the casina` 3G o'l an elertric motor oit any approved type Capable ot havingits armature reversed or et rotating' first in one direetion and then in the other. The armature sha't't 37 is connected as by a` roupling sleeve 38 ot insulating;r material, to a worin shait 39 mounted in a housing; 'l-O which 'forms in etiiect. part ot the general eating 3l. By referringr to Figures il and Ll it `will `he seen that this Worm shatt carries a` Worm al which meshes with an annular clutch member 4l2 beine in the nature et a gear having' worm teeth Al-fl which mesh with the worin. This clutch member is rotatably mounted Within the easing; on ball bearings ron'iprised of ball rares il; and atei, the 'toi-mer secured between flanges 45 pro jected 'from the gear-like clutch inei'nber di and shouldere 4-(3 formed on the. shell 32 and the shouldered disk 47 secured to the shell by a screw 4S; while the race all is secured between a similar AFlange projectingi trom the cover 33 and a huh Afil-9. Sleeves; 50 and 5l are screwed, respectively, on the 'thingie #l5 and 'flange "f to `[farther retain the ball races vil-land 1 in their proper position.

The huh 49 is tilted at to the cover 33 and at against it, so as te turn Within the cover and Within the inner member ot" the ballrace 4ta when its stud liet is oscillated or partially rotated by the eluteh meinber 4t2 through the intermediate` devices; presently to be described. The huh member carries and thcret'ore swings or oscillates the door lever Q5. To this end a bar holder is soeur-ed to the flange This holder con sists ot a plate 56. as seen in Figures 3 and (3 and is attached to the Hanni-z 55 ot' the hub by means ot bolts and nuts 57, Whieh bolts pass through one series or the other of: the holes 5S and 59 aeeordingr to the desired relative positioning' ot the holder on the heb, a consideration determined -hy the position ot the operating lever 25 with the door. This holder is recessed as indicated more clearly at. GO in Figure (i to permit a partial rotation of the holder be'loie the shoulders (il thereof come in Contact with this act/natine' bar to swing it trom one position to the other as indicated in full and dotted lines in ie'iire l. This permits the motor to ,fret a .start or in other Words enables the armature to acquire a sullicient momentum to canse the holder to swiner the bar and overcome the inertia ot Athe door .in either o its standing' positions-opened or closed position. In order to prevent the shoulder (il contacting with the bar with a blow, the holder is equipped with yielding; battere comprisingr slidable bolts (i2 mounted in coi-- ner projections G3 of the plate 5G and nor malty projected by Coil spring; 64. Henne When the holder is put in motion. the batters (l2 on opposite sides ot the center first come in contact with the bar and in doin e so yield or recede to permit the vshoulder (il to entrano the bar softly, the bar having started to Firingr by the advance Contact therei'vith ot the huti'ers betere the shoulders actually r ach the bar. A stud shaft or projection G5 projects from the holder and tits an openinol in the bar so as to prerent the bar trom longitudinal movement with reti-niente to the holder.

It will now he seen that whenever the. hnb is eiren a partial. rotation throuy'h Substantially 180 deejrees by the rotatioin in one dirertion or the other` oit the elnteh member A acting througl'h the intiaaofaliate (lorie lo the har will be saune; through auf-h lilo degrees and will thereby raus-ie the door to more from open to closed position and vire versa. lt is shown in open poeition in liia ure l.` the door in that ligure lieinl within the pocket tl and not in the door opening'.

Suitable stops 66 and GG project trom the cover 33 and are so positioned that they limit the swing of the oscillatory head by which the hub is operated. 1

This oscillatory head, 49, in eifect, forms apart, further .consists .of an arm 67 mounted xedly on the stud shaft 54 of the general hub 49. Therefore when the arm-67 is given a movement it carries with it the hub and consequently the har Aholder 56 and hence rthe lever 25 carried thereby and before Yreferred to. The means tor causing Vthe clutch member 42 to rotate Ithe arm 67- anti-c-loclrwise soas to withdraw the door trom the pocket and close it acrossv the doorway, as .the-parts are viewed in Figure l, consists of a detent 69 pivoted to ac'lip 70 mounted on a stud 7lV carried by the karm 67 Vhen the parts are in what may be called normal position, such as shown in Figure l, and the door is opened, the Clutch member 42 will rotate anti-clockwise ywhen the motor is operated. This detent 69 will then occupy the position shown in dotted lines Vin lFigure 4. Itl will bear against the inner surface of the clutch member, through the contracted action of the spring 72 secured to the detent and fixed at its other end.` Vhen one ofthe recesses 73 .member will travel slightly further and withdraw its socket 78 from the detent 69 and leave thedetentin vthe position shown in dottedlines Figure 4.- By that time the clutch memberfwill have itseli come to a stop because the circuit will have been broken by the automatically opening and closing electric switch with 'whichvthe motor circuit is connected, but which switch Vand circuit wires are not shown because they mayk be of any conventional type and are nov part Y of this invention. v

rFhus in the example herevv given rthe door wi'll now stand closed or acrossL the doorway.

Vhen the operator again starts the motor hel will do ,so by the appropriate switch which will cause it to rotatev in the opposite direction from that in which it has just been rotated. The effect of that Awill be to rotate the clutch member clockwise. In its initial movement .the periphery of the clutch member will slide pastthe L,detent 69 now in the dotted position shown'at 67 but again under the iniiuence of the spring 72 the detent will snap intoV the kfirst recess 73 which 'arrives yof which the Yhat is a rigid device, being'secured to the arm 6 7 by a pin 78 and resting against the pro- Aand having a head against which the'bar shoulder 79 which comes against one edge :opposite the detent. This will take place rathersuddenly and to prevent breakage of parts or any possible stalling of` the motor, the movement thus suddenly applied to the detent- 69 is yieldingly applied through the fact that the clip'70 is pivotally mounted on the `arm 67. This clip' yields or swings slight'lyon this pivot when this actiontalres place. The` springs, of which thereinay-be one or more, indicated at 74, yield to permitY this yielding or tilting of the clip 70. One` end oi' there springs'is attached to t-he clip as at 75 and the other end is similarly attached, asshown at 76 to a bar 77, Vwhich in eiiect jection78"L extending from the arm 67 and constituted of a litting in a hole inthe arm rests. But of course this detail is not material. This bar 77 also supports one end of the spring 72, before referred to.

It will be seen thatk the clip 70 has a oit the arm 67 This shoulder forms a stop against which the springs 74 draw the clip 70 when the parts are in a normal'position, and Vwhich shoulder moves ott from thearm when the clip yields y.or turns slightly on the the pivot 71 as above stated. k A

It will now be understood that the arm 67 is under motion inl a clockwise direction, whereby the hub 49 and the bar holder 56 wi'll be operated to throw the lever 25 from the dotted position, in which the door is closed, to the full line position in which the door is open or back in the pocket, Vas shown inV Figure l. This clockwise movement Aot the arm67 continues until it comes in con.- l

tact withthe stop 66. By'that time the door will have been positioned within the pocket.

.When the door is again opened and later closed', these same operations'are peritorined. The arm 67 is secured to the hub 49 througl'i bolts 8O which pass through the arm 67fand thence into and through the hub, in the recess 8l of which these bolts terminate .where their nuts 82 are applied as seen in Figure 3. As also seen in that ligure the arm 67 is turned to` one side at its outer end so as to come in the path of thestops -66 and 66a.:

It will nowbe seen that my invention provides a ready power means or" operating car doors from closedto ope-n position, and vice versa. .Also that-it comprises these several major par-ts, a casing, a clutch niemberfandr means to `operate it through a motor; an osoillating head comprising an ,arm with de tent mechanism andyieldable devices to enable the clutch memberto actuate the, head without breakage or injury of the parts, and

that this headincludesa sort of hub; a bar holder carried by the hub device anda door, operating bar carried by the holder.v The construction of each of the'eanajor elements xl t) may vary and minor parts mayv be modified in great varietyv without departingv 'trom the spirit oi m v invention. Two of' the characteristic features, I ma)Y add, are the rotatable clutch member adapted to have a rotar)7 rcciprocating' motion, and the oscillatory head with its bar holder adapted to receive and acquire like motions through and trom the clutch member.

It will be understood that I desire to comprehend within in v invention such modifications as may be neernisary to adaptit to varying conditions and uses.

Having thu tullv described my invention, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent ot the United States, is:

l. In a device ot the character describe/rt the combination with a door and a reversible motor, ol a door operator comprising;l a. rotatable clutch member positioned in essentially a vertical plane and alaptcd to receive motion in either direction trom the motor, an oscillatable blad within the clutch member having` its axis es entiallv horizontal and adapted to receive motion lirst in one direction and then in the other 'from said. rotatable clutch member, and a connection operating` in essentialllir a vertical plane between such head and the door`r whereby the door may be power-opened and closed.

il. In a device ol the character described, the combination with a sliding` door and a reversible electric motor, oit a door operator comprising a rotatable clutch member positioned in essentially a vertical plane and adapted to receive rotary motion from the motor, an. oscillatable head within the clutch member having its axis essentially horizontal and adapted to receive motion lirst in one direction and then in the other :trom said rotatable clutch member, an actuating arm olijierating' in essentially a vertical plane and connected with said headT and a connection between said arm and said door including a dash pot device comprising' a cylinder havingair inlet and outlet ports, a piston connected to the operating` arm and a guide tor the piston.

3. In a device ot the character described, the coinl'iination with a reversible motor, of a door operator comprising a worm screw connected with the motor. a clutch member having' worm teeth meshing' with the worm, an oscillatable head mounted within the clutch member, mechanism to cause such clutch member to actuate said headI a hub device included in said head, a bar holder connected to the hub device and a dooractua'tinp: bar carried by the head.

L In a device of the character describei, the combination with a motor capable ot rotating; in either direction, o3t a door operator comprising' a casing, a worm shaft mounted thereon and adapted to connect with the motor, a clutch member in the nature ot an annulus having` worm teeth to mesh with the worm shaft, an oseillatable head mounted in the casingl and within the clutch inember and comprising an arm having,l a detcnt tor engagement by the clutch member, a hub device connected with the arm, a bar holder connected with the hub device and a door actuating arm carried by the holder, the

holder beingn adapted to move through initial movements betere operating the arm.

A device ot the character described, comprising a casing?, a clutch member, in the torni of an annnlus, gearing,` to rotate said member; an oscillatable head comprisingan arm carrving1 a detenta, a hub device connected with the arm, a bar holder connected with the hub device and having a recess widened at its outer extremities and carrying vieldinel bull'ers, and a door operating arm pivotall)Vy mounted in the holder and adapted when the holder is rotated to be en- `gagged tirst b v the butl'ers and then by the walls of the recess et the holder.

A device ot' the character described, comprising a mounting structure, a clutch member rotatably mounted in said structure, an oscillatable head also mounted therein and comprising an arm, a detent carried therein7 adapted to be engaged and disengraced by the clutch member to actuate and release said arm, a hub device connected with the arm, a bar holder secured to the hub device and including` a plate with a transverse recess widened at its outer eX- tremities and having,l yielding butters located near such extremities, and a door actuating.)Y bar pivoted within the holder plate and located in the recess and adapted to be engaged by the buH'ers and actuated when the recessed walls contact with it.

T. In a device ot the character described, a clutch member in the form of an annulus having recesses, an oscillat-able arm mounted within the annulus, stops at substantially diametrical points to limit the oscillation of the arm, a clip pivotcd to the arm, a detent mounted on the clip and adapted to enter recesses in the clutch member, and springs acting` to normally hold a part of the clip against the arm and to yield to permit the clip to move on its pivot when the detentI is first engaged by the clutch member in moving the arm from one position to the other.

8. ln a device et the cha acter described, the combination with a clutch member in the form ot' an annulus liaving recesses and stops at diamctric points, ot an oscillatable head comprisingl an arm, a clip pivoted to the arm` a detent pivotcd to the clip and adapted to enter recesses in the clutch member, springs connected to the clip to hold a part of it normally against the arm and to yield during,` the initial movement ot' the lo l detent when engaged by the clutchto move gaged and moved iirst bythe buipers and then by the walls of the recess.

9. In a device oi the character described, an oscillatable head mounted in a horizontal bearing and comprising an arm secured near one end of the head, a hub device at one side of the arm and connected therewith, a bar holder at the other side of the hub and connected to the hub device, and a door actuating bar carried by the holder and'adapted to be operated in a vertical plane,

10. In a device of the character described, the combinationA with a casing, of an oscillatable head mounted therein andcomprising an arm, a hub device secured thereto, a bar holder attached to the hub device and 'having yielding buiers and a recess widened at i its ends, a door actuating bar pivoted tothe holder and adapted to be actuated whenengaged first by the buffers and then by the walls of said recess.

l1. In a device of the character described,

the combination with a casing, of an annuy lar clutch member mountedtherein, gearing to rotate said member, an oscillatable head mounted 1n the casing within said member and comprising an arm having a spring actuated detentadapted to be engaged by the yclutch member, a hub device connected with said arm, a bar holder adapted to be attached to the hub device and having spring buffers, a recess widened at its ends, vand a stud, a door actuating bar pivoted on said stud .and loosely fitted within said recess, and stops on the casing to limit the movevment of said arm to substantially `180 degrees.

12. Ina device of the character described, thek combination with a casing, a removable cover and diametrical stops within them, of a worm shaft mounted within the casing, a clutch m-ember annulus having `worm teeth toV engage said shaft and having recesses,

ball bearings vto support -said annulus, and an oscillatable head mounted in said casing Vand cover, and ball bearings therefor, such head comprising an arm', a clip pivo-ted thereto, a detent carried by said clip, springs connected to the clip at one end and a substantially fixed device at the other end adapted to permit the clip to yield when the detent is engaged by the annulus to move the arm in'one direction, a hub device secured to the arm, a bar holder comprising a plate adapted to be secured to the hub device and having a recess widened at its ,ends

and provided kwith a stud, .and a door actuating arm pivoted on said stud and located within said recess, all substantially as described.

13. In a device ofthe character described, the combination with a slidable door and a reversible electric motor, of a door operator` comprising a rotatable clutch member positioned in essentially a vertical plane and radapted to move in accordance with the movement of the motor, an oscillatable head within the clutch member having its 4aXis in essentially a horizontal plane, clutch mechanism coacting withV the clutch member to actuate said head in accordance with the movement of the clutch member, a hub device included in such head, a bar holder carri-ed by the hub device and a door actuating bar operating in' essentially a vertical plane and rcarried by said holder and comiected with the door.

lll.` In a device of the character described, a door operator comprising a clutch member positioned in essentially a vertical plane, an oscillatable head having its axis in essentially a horizontal plane, mechanism between the head and clutch member whereby the head is actuatedV in accordance with the movement of the clutch member, .a bar holder positioned in essentially a horizontal plane and connected with the head, anday door operating bar carried by the holder and adapted to be actuated thereby in essentially a vertical plane.

In testimony whereof, I .atHX my signature.

- THOMAS ELLIOTT. 

